New apartment complex to be open in 2014

The developer of one of several new student housing complexes slated for Union Township says his company plans to start signing leases in September for occupancy in fall 2014.

“We’d like to have on-site leasing,” said Alex Eyssen, director of development for Campus Crest Communities of Charlotte, N.C. “I need to have it up and running by Sept. 1.”

By that point, construction should be under way for the project called The Grove. Union Township planners this week gave their OK to detailed site plans for the 216-unit complex of high-end collegiate housing.

The Grove is one of several projects of new student housing in various stages of development in the Bluegrass Road corridor in Union Township.

Work is to begin when the weather breaks on an 11-building addition to Copper Beech Townhomes south of Bluegrass. That is scheduled to be open this fall.

And New York-based Park7 Development plans a complex on Sweeney Road between Bluegrass and Broomfield, slated to open in 2014. The special use permit for that project is scheduled to be up for review by the township planners next week.

Campus Crest, the country’s second-largest developer of student housing, says it sees a good market in mid-Michigan. Eyssen said he anticipates no problems finding tenants.

The planners approved the construction of a temporary leasing office to be located near Isabella Road. Eyssen said that the office will contain a mockup of a typical apartment.

“Our goal is to have this building look as good as it can,” Eyssen said. “It’s schematically identical to one of our units.”

Once the project’s clubhouse is complete, possibly within six or seven months of construction beginning, the temporary building would be moved to another Campus Crest project, Eyssen said.

Besides the clubhouse, the complex will have a pool. Its use will be limited to residents and guests, and it won’t have a lifeguard.

The clubhouse also will contain a central trash compactor for the entire complex. Eyssen said he expects a strong interest among his potential tenants for recycling.

Union Township currently offers curbside recycling for single-family homeowners, but so far, residents of apartment complexes haven’t had an easy way to recycle waste.

“We’ve been working with the (Isabella County Material Recover Facility) to try to establish something,” said township zoning administrator Woody Woodruff. Township planning commission chairman Phil Squattrito said he hoped the new projects would produce a “tipping point” toward apartment-based recycling.